A/N: I struggled with what to do with this chapter, because I didn't want to just do what canon did, but there were certain things about it that I wanted to keep. It wound up a little closer to canon than I wanted it to, but hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway. The chapter after this one will probably be the last.

"Where did you get that?"

"Do you know how to use it?"

He took another long drag of his cigarette, debating. But the bottom line was he needed the money. He took the gun from her hand. "I'm not like a sniper or anything."

"Can you point it at someone like you mean it?" He gave her a hard look, and she smiled. "Then you get half." Trey ran his hands through his hair, wondering how he'd let himself sink so low. "Now I definitely…" Jess purred, standing in front of him suggestively. That was how. "Need to get some sleep." With a smirk, she retreated to his bedroom, slowly swaying her hips as she went.

At that moment, Trey wanted nothing more than to turn back time. Before the incident- he couldn't bring himself to admit he'd tried to rape her –he'd had friends, people who didn't just see him as a criminal, and people who were helping him get on his feet financially. He had been clean, and for the first time in several years, he'd had hope that he could stay that way. And most importantly, he'd had Ryan.

They'd always had their differences. At times Trey would think he hated Ryan, but in the back of his mind, he knew it was more jealousy than animosity. Ryan had always come through for him, even when no one else would.

But this time, he betrayed Ryan on a whole new level. Well truthfully, he'd done it before, but that time Ryan hadn't found out. Besides, Ryan and Theresa were off again on again, more friends with benefits than boyfriend and girlfriend. Not that Ryan would be any less angry.

Trey realized that he had become everything that he had always hated about his father. He was forceful and violent with women, chemically dependent, and he'd hurt the only family he had left, the person who had cared about him when no one else did. Now he would add drug dealing to that impressive list of accomplishments. It wasn't like he really had a choice in the matter. Minimum wage wasn't going to pay the bills.

Marissa sat beside her mother during the funeral, surprised to hear soft sobs coming from her. She was glad her dad was back to help them deal with this. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed him until he'd appeared in the doorway that morning.

As Ryan helped carry Caleb's casket, a strange pang of guilt came over him. He all but hated the man, but he was Kirsten's father and Seth's grandfather. He remembered Caleb's first heart attack and idly wondered how Lindsay had taken the news of his death.

Kirsten was devastated. She'd hardly spoken since they got the news and the blank expression etched on her face was scaring him. Seth had even mentioned that she hadn't been like this ever before, even when her mother died.

That night, at the gathering at the Cohen house, Ryan couldn't help but keep an eye on Kirsten. She'd always been a drinker, at times she even got drunk, but he'd never seen her like this. She was downing drink after drink and when Sandy tried to talk to her, her reply was angry as she turned away from him.

Through the kitchen window, he saw her pull a bottle of vodka out of the refrigerator and take several gulps. He felt a heavy hand rest on his shoulder. "Hey kid."

"Sandy, is she...?"

"She's having a really hard time dealing with Caleb's death."

Ryan nodded. "Is there anything I can do?"

Sandy smiled sadly. "I'll talk to you and Seth about it tomorrow."

Ryan stood in the kitchen with Sandy and the doctor, nervously awaiting Kirsten and Hailey's arrival. Seth had refused to participate in the intervention. When she came in and realized what was happening, the look on her face sent a chill down his spine. He repeated what he wanted to say over and over in his mind, but after watching Kirsten speak harshly to Sandy and Hailey, he was scared.

"Ryan, go ahead."

Kirsten eyed him with disgust. She hadn't looked at him like that since the morning after the party at Holly's beach house when Seth got drunk. "Oh don't you say a word, I let you in to this house."

The words stung and nearly silenced him. "That's right, you did. Because my own mom couldn't take care of me. She wouldn't get help even though I asked her to. I don't want to see that happen again to someone I love." He forced the last words out, unable to meet her eyes, fearing rejection.

She didn't reply to him, which was a relief, but a painful one. She looked at the doctor. "I don't know who you are or what you're doing here, but I am not going!" Ryan's stomach flipped with fear and she stormed out of the room.

Seth met her in the door way. "Please Mom, you gotta do this."

After a few tension filled moments, she broke down in a tearful, silent resignation. Sandy and Seth embraced her, and Ryan and Hailey soon followed. As painful as her words had been for Ryan, it didn't change the fact that he loved her as if she was really his mother.

After Kirsten left, Summer and Marissa came over. Seth explained what had happened and Summer suggested they go to the Bait Shop. Eager for some escape from the tension still hanging in the house, Seth and Ryan quickly agreed. As they walked out the door, Marissa grabbed Ryan's hand. "You don't think Trey will be there, do you?"

"No, he works day shifts," Ryan answered, kissing her cheek.

But as soon as they got there, they ran into him. He eyed the foursome nervously. "Seth, I'm sorry about your grandfather." He extended his hand and Seth shook it.

"What are you doing here?" Ryan demanded.

"Just picking up my pay check." Trey held up his hands defensively.

"Pay checks are handed out on Wednesday," Marissa snapped.

Summer looked atMarissa in surprise. "Let's go find some seats. Seth, two Mountain Dews, okay?"

Seth nodded as the girls walked off. "What was that about?" Ryan and Trey only glared at each other. "Okay, I'll just be over here ordering the drinks."

As Jess grabbed Trey's arm, he looked away from Ryan guiltily. "Come on," she said softly.

Ryan's suspicious eyes followed them up the stairway. "Hey buddy, a little help here?" Seth's voice stopped his train of thought as he handed him two of the four drinks. "Well, that wasn't awkward at all. Let's go find the girls."

When Ryan sat down beside Marissa, he quickly gathered her in his arms, kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"It's not your fault."

A rumble above them caught their attention. "Who's the bitch now?" A hush fell over the crowd as Jess pulled out a gun.

"You're gonna have to shoot me!" Ryan jumped from his seat and tried to see who the guy was, but he couldn't. He saw Trey standing beside Jess and his anger towards his brother was renewed.

Severalpiercing shotsfired, and Ryan yelled, "Everybody, get down!" Seth guided Summer under the table, leaning over her as Marissa crouched down beside Summer. Ryan quickly joined them and a few seconds later, the shooting stopped.

"Is everybody okay?" Seth asked.

Summer nodded and looked at Marissa, noticing blood coming from her head. "Marissa!"

Ryan saw it too, and for a second it felt like his heart had stopped. She moved her head up, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. She touched her hand to her head, and then looked at the blood on her fingers, horrified. "It's just broken glass," Seth assured her.

Ryan sat in the booth and propped Marissa up against his chest. Then he pulled off his top t-shirt and pressed it against the cut. "It'll be fine, but it looks like you're going to need stitches. Seth, could you-"

Summer snapped her cell phone shut and smiled weakly at Ryan. "Already did."

Ryan pounded his fist on the door, seething. "Trey!"

Trey could hear the anger in his brother's voice and hesitated when he opened the door. "Ry, look, I'm sorry. Jess turned out to be a little crazier than I thought."

"So you didn't know she was dealing drugs? And carrying a gun?"

"No, I didn't. But I broke up with her. I told her we're done."

"Done? I've heard that before."

"Not everyone has some rich family to help them out every step of the way!"

"And not everyone has some jackass older brother trying to screw them over all the time!"

"I never tried to screw you over!" Trey was beyond seething. "Do you know how many times I put my ass on the line for you?"

Ryan glared back at him, in disbelief. "How many times you put your ass on the line for me? I almost got killed delivering that stolen car so those guys in prison would leave you alone!"

"You should have been the one in prison. I wouldn't have gotten caught if you would have just jumped in the damn car like I told you to." Even as the words came out of his mouth, Trey knew there wasn't any truth to them. But he was beyond rationality at this point.

"I wasn't the one who decided I needed to learn how to steal cars! I was doing fine-"

"Yeah, with AJ taking a bat to your head every time he got drunk? Stealing that car is what got you out of that hellhole. You're the one that got the good life."

"And now you're doing your best to destroy that! Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, Marissa, they all took a chance on you. You hurt the people who mean more to me than..." Ryan trailed off.

"Than what, Ry?" Trey challenged, seeing the truth in his brother's eyes.

Ryan closed his eyes bitterly, avoiding the question. "Last night, after Jess pulled the gun, I looked over at Marissa and saw blood coming from her head."

For a moment, Trey looked horrified. "But no one got hit."

Ryan stepped forward menacingly. "This time. Was trying to rape her not enough?"

Trey saw that Ryan was about to snap, and decided to beat him to it. His fist slammed into Ryan's face, connecting with his nose. Ryan shoved Trey into the wall, bashing his head into it like he'd wanted to since he'd found out what he did to Marissa. With a sudden burst of energy, Trey forced Ryan backwards, and he fell onto the coffee table, shattering the glass. He felt the glass cut into his back and he looked up at his brother realizing that Trey had no plans of letting Ryan walk away from this.

Neither of them heard the door open. Jess threw her bag down inside the door and looked at the brothers in annoyed disbelief. "Trey!" she yelled and neither of the boys responded, or even realized she was there. Seconds after Jess arrived, Marissa threw the door to the apartment open, nearly running in to her. Marissa stood back quietly, wanting to go unnoticed until she'd assessed the situation.

She quickly took in the scene in front of her. Ryan and Trey were on the floor fighting, Trey on top of Ryan with his hands around his neck. Both were still oblivious to Jess and Marissa. Jess walked to the couch and pulled the gun out from underneath the cushion. Marissa froze, temporarily paralyzed by her fear.

Ryan used the last of his energy to push Trey off, and when he nearly succeeded, Jess released the safety on the gun. Both boys stopped and looked at her. "Baby brother. I thought we'd seen the last of you." He knew too much and he kept getting in the way.

Ryan and Trey remained silent, neither noticing Marissa standing in the doorway. She stepped closer to Jess, feeling the pounding of her heart through her whole body.

"What the hell are you doing, Jess?" Trey growled.

She smirked maliciously. "Don't let me stop you. I believe you were just about to kill Ryan."

Trey looked down at Ryan, who had turned a frightening shade of blue. He released his neck, but kept his shoulders pinned down. Ryan had already passed out from the lack of oxygen. "Fine. If you don't do it, I will." She aimed the gun at Ryan's head, which was a safe distance from anything vital on Trey.

Marissa, who had still not been noticed, panicked and grabbed Jess's arm. "Stop!" Ryan stirred, responding to the sound of her voice with a glimmer of hope. He struggled trying to see her through his blurry vision.

Jess whirled around and hit her across the face with the barrel of the gun. Marissa fell into the wall and looked at Jess, stunned. "Marissa Cooper. What a surprise." Her eyebrows raised and for the first time, Marissa saw all the anger and cruelty in her that she hadn't seen during their friendship.

Ryan mustered up as much energy as he could from where he laid motionless to the floor, "Marissa, go! Now!"

Marissa was still spinning from the blow when Jess turned back to Ryan. "Let's get this over with."

A split second before she pulled the trigger, Marissa lurched forward and used all her strength to tackle her. Caught off guard, Jess tumbled to the floor, pulling Marissa with her as Trey and Ryan looked on in disbelief. After a few seconds of wrestling, Jess had Marissa pinned down. Marissa's knee thrust into Jess's stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Marissa took the opportunity to grab the gun.

Her hands shook as she pointed the gun down at Jess, then at Trey. "Get off of him."

Trey sighed with relief and obediently moved away from Ryan, and as he slowly got up, Marissa kept the gun pointed at him. Ryan wobbled to his feet, clearly having taken some harsh blows to his head. He made his way to Marissa's side, and leaned against her. She struggled to support him as she led him out of the apartment. He grabbed the gun from her, and for a moment, she panicked.

"The safety," Ryan mumbled in explanantion.

"What?"

He clicked it back into place and handed it back to Marissa. "Here."

Once they'd gotten into the car, Marissa didn't know what to do with the weapon. She decided to just put it in the glove compartment until she could talk to Sandy. "I should take you to the hospital."

"No. I'm fine." Marissa looked at him doubtfully. "Really, I am, I just need a few minutes."

Reluctantly, she agreed. "Okay, let's get you home then."

He nodded in agreement. When they got to the Cohen house, she led him back to the pool house.

"Do you know where they keep the first aid kit?"

"There should be one in my bathroom under the sink," he replied, sitting down on the bed.

"Okay, I'll be right back. Don't lie down, in case you have a concussion."

He smiled faintly. "Okay."

She returned with the first aid kit and kneeled beside the bed. "Where does it hurt? Is there anything you can't move?"

He wiggled his fingers and his arms. "Don't think so."

Gently, she rubbed a hot wash cloth over the cut above his left eye, before carefully applying rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball. He watched her as she nursed each cut on his face and gently kissed the bruises. "Okay, I need you to take off your shirt."

Ryan grinned mischievously, obliging her request. "Playing doctor?"

She met his eyes, trying to keep a grin off of her face. "Unfortunately, I'm not playing. Now be a good patient and hold still," she chided gently.

"Yes ma'am."

She helped him pull it over his head and first tended to the cuts on his back from the broken glass. When she had finished cleaning his back, she motioned for him to turn around. His eyes studied her face as she dabbed his chest with the cotton ball. As she moved further down towards his abdomen, he leaned back so she could see better. Soon he was flat on his back, watching her as she inspected his body. By now, the pain was dulling and giving way to more pleasurable sensations.

She pulled back with a smile. "All done."

"Thanks."

She could tell by the serious look in his eyes that he wasn't just talking about tending to his injuries. "No problem."

"If you hadn't shown up…"

Marissa pressed a finger to his lips. "But I did."

He nodded. "You did." After a beat, he frowned. "Why?"

"Seth said you'd gone over there to talk to Trey. With all the tension there's been between you guys, I didn't think anything good could come from it. I didn't want you to do something you'd regret."

His hand reached up to push a lock of hair behind her ear, then rested on the back of her neck, pulling her down to him. He brushed his lips against hers, slowly and sensuously. Dizzy with desire, she carefully straddled him, mindful not to put any weight on his injured body. She suspended her body above his, pressing lightly into him, teasing him strategically.

His arms pulled her down to him and a sharp pain shot through his body. Seeing his face, Marissa quickly pulled back. "Maybe we should save this for a time when you're feeling a little better."

Ryan begrudgingly agreed. "I heal fast."

She giggled, tenderly kissing his lips. "Good." She kissed him again. "But I should probably go."

He groaned his disapproval. "Stay?"

His eyes pleaded with her and she couldn't deny him. "Okay."

After putting on some of his clothes to sleep in, she laid beside him on the bed. Hepulled her into his arms, kissing the back of her neck, and whispering softly, his breath tickling her neck. She couldn't make out the words, but their effect on her was undeniable.

"You better heal really fast."

Please review! Next chapter is the last chapter.